A Senate companion to the successful House DEA defunding amendment has been filed, New York becomes the 23rd medical marijuana state, a CBD bill is moving in North Carolina, Rhode Island retrenches, and more. Let's get to it:

[image:1 align:right]National

Last Thursday, US Sens. Rand Paul and Cory Booker cosponsored a DEA defunding amendment in the Senate. Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) have cosponsored an amendment to the Justice Department funding bill that would shield medical marijuana patients and providers from the attention of the DEA in states where it is legal. The House passed such an amendment at the end of last month. While an early vote was expected, conflicts between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have caused the overall appropriation bill to be delayed.

California

Last Tuesday, the Berkeley city council moved toward permitting a fourth dispensary. The council voted to adopt regulations promulgated by the Medical Cannabis Commission that will set up a process to select a fourth dispensary for the East Bay city of 115,000. This more than three years after voters approved Measure T in 2010, which called for allowing a fourth dispensary. The commission had recommended six dispensaries, but that was too much for the council, which approved one new one in principle and said it would review the situation in a year.

On Tuesday, the Drug Policy Alliance strongly criticized the statewide medical marijuana regulation bill. Senate Bill 1262, which was set to go before the Assembly Public Safety Committee the same day, would leave thousands of patients without access to their medicine, fails to establish effective statewide regulation, and doesn't deal with edibles, the group said in an analysis posted on the California legislature's web site. The bill has already passed the Senate, but still must get through the Assembly.

Also on Tuesday, Desert Hot Springs city leaders expressed support for allowing dispensaries and were quite frank in saying it was all about the tax revenues. The city has an existing moratorium that will have to be removed. Leaders set no timeline at Tuesday's city council meeting.

Also on Tuesday, Lake County supervisors placed a restrictive cultivation measure on the November ballot. The measure would ban collective gardens and limit outdoor parcels to four plants. It is being backed by a group called the Emerald Unity Alliance.

Also on Tuesday, Santa Clara County supervisors voted for a temporary moratorium on dispensaries. The move was in response to San Jose's new regulations on dispensaries and cultivation, which supervisors fear would push them out into the county. Supervisors want time to see how to respond and will revisit the issue at an August 5 meeting.

New York

Last Friday, New York become the 23^rd medical marijuana state. The state legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo (R) reached a last-minute compromise on medical marijuana, and the state Senate and Assembly approved the compromise bill, Program Bill 57. Gov. Cuomo says he will sign the bill into law, making New York the 23rd medical marijuana state. The bill is more limited than many patients and advocates would have preferred. It forbids smoking medical marijuana, although patients may vaporize or consume it in edibles. It also forbids using the raw plant. And it limits access to those with specified qualifying conditions, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy.

North Carolina

Last Thursday, a limited CBD medical marijuana bill won House committee votes. A bill that would allow some patients to use a high-CBD cannabis oil was approved by the House Health Committee Wednesday and the House Finance Committee. The House approved the measure, House Bill 1220, in a floor vote on Friday.

On Wednesday, the limited CBD medical marijuana bill won a Senate committee vote. House Bill 1220 was approved by the Senate Rules and Operations Committee.

Rhode Island

Last Friday, the legislature amended the state's medical marijuana law. The legislature has amended the state's medical marijuana law to require national criminal background checks on all caregiver applicants and the mandatory revocation of the caregiver registry ID cards for those convicted of a felony. The bill, House Bill 7610, won final approval by the Senate last Friday. It also allows landlords not to lease to cardholders who want to grow and imposes weight, plant, and seedling limits on growing co-ops.

[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]